Thursday, June 14, 2012

There's no doubt about it, it's summer. School is out, the weather varies between hot and scorching, and the sun's rays shine brightly from early in the morning until late in the evening.

When I think back to what summer meant to me when I was young, it was all about playing with friends, swimming or splashing in the water to stay cool, and perfecting the art of the I'm borrrrrrrred to make sure that my mom knew that I meant it.

But summer also meant sunburns. The combination of my fair skin and my Eh, I don't need it or Nah, it's not cool thoughts about sunscreen resulted in more than a handful of red, unhappy skin at the end of the day. Considering what I know now about the not-so-great choices that I made a child, I not only take much better care of myself, but I'm also very diligent about protecting my girls from the sun.

It is also why I'm happy to share my meticulous devotion to sun protection and was more than ready to do so with friends recently thanks to Banana Boat.

To kick off the season of outdoor fun and play, Banana Boat sun care has created the 101 Days of Summer Play activity guide, which offers fun ideas for families on how to enjoy the outdoors this summer. The brand is also challenging families across the U.S. to take the 101 Days of Summer Play pledge. This pledge encourages parents to make the commitment to encourage their children to play outside in the sun every day, all season long.

Parents simply take the pledge by heading to the Banana Boat brand Facebook page, which also features fun giveaways and additional information. For each pledge taken, a donation of one bottle of new Banana Boat Sunscreen Natural Reflect Lotion, up to 10,000 bottles, will go to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nonprofit, residential summer camp and year-round center serving children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The new Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion offers sun protection using naturally sourced sunscreen actives (Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide) that reflect UVA and UVB rays. It is free of Oxybenzone and Paraben, is gentle on sensitive and delicate skin, and is proven effective against sunburn and to help prevent long term skin damage.

On top of all of that, this sunscreen is water resistant (up to 80 minutes) and is recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation. All in all, it is the perfect reason to hold a Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion 101 Days of Summer Play party!

In preparation for our party, we started by planning our food, drinks and games, followed by looking over some great Summer Sun Protection Tips from Sara Snow, a natural living expert and mom, to ensure that we weren't forgetting anything. I completely agreed with Sara about being prepared with plenty of liquids and snacks, applying sunscreen early and often, wearing protective gear, seeking shade, and more - they're all very important!

We then put together some fun gift bags for our guests, got everything set up, and were ready for a fun day! We had originally planned to include more water fun in our day but, due to the slightly chilly weather on the day of our party, we altered the plan and ended up having outdoor fun in our yard as well as at the nearby park. It turned out great!

We also took some inspiration from the Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion 101 Days of Summer Play Activity Guide. They have full weeks of ideas such as Ready? Set? Go!, Basketball with a flying twist! and Do the hula that are sure to get your creative juices flowing and get everyone in the mood for fun.

New ideas will be available every week through Labor Day!

Speaking of fun and summer play, we had a wonderful time playing out in the sun and consider our Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion 101 Days of Summer Play party a success!

Between the casual, summer atmosphere, the refreshing glasses of lemonade, and the sound of children's laughter filling the air, it wasn't hard to look around and be thankful for the wonderful day. Even better? Due to the goodies in their gift bag, our guests had no problem lathering themselves up with new Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion and staying safe from the sun.

Banana Boat Natural Reflect is available in mass, grocery and drug retailers for a suggested retail price of $11.49 for a 4oz tube. Be sure to visit the Banana Boat Brand Facebook page for more information about the Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion 101 Days of Summer Play campaign. While you're there, download the activity guide and take the pledge to encourage your kids to play outside every day this summer!

As an even bigger bonus to enjoying your time outdoors, Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion is asking families to share photos of their favorite summer memories on the brand's Facebook page for a chance to win fun weekly prizes and a grand prize family vacation. Don't miss it!

Thanks to the generosity of Banana Boat, one person will be even more prepared to celebrate the outdoors this summer, because...

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Banana Boat® Sun Care and received a party kit to facilitate my review, party kits to give to my guests, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.